MELBOURNE midfielder Brock McLean is keen to return to the club's leadership group, but understands if his teammates don't want him in it.

After a number of post- and pre-season incidents – two of those overseas – saw McLean suspended from the group in March, his hopes of one day captaining the Demons took a significant blow.

"If the players want me, I'll happily put my hand up," he told Friday's Herald Sun. "But if they don't, they don't.

"You don't need a title to lead. The best style of leadership is through actions and that's going to be my way of leading out on the field and out on the track."

Following David Neitz's retirement in May, Melbourne appointed Cameron Bruce and James McDonald as its co-captains.

McLean had started the season well but things turned when he sustained a serious ankle injury in the win over the Brisbane Lions in round 14.

He only started jogging again on Thursday as Melbourne held its first training session at its new base at Casey Fields.

"Basically the ligament that holds the two leg bones together at the ankle joint ripped off the bone," he recalled of the injury.

"I had two bolts put in to reattach it all. I was on crutches for about 10 weeks to begin with, then off them for four-to-six weeks with the moon boot on, then back on the crutches after the screws were taken out.

"It's been a long injury. I know it sounds pretty stupid but I can't wait for round one."

And the 22-year-old plans to avoid the trouble that marred his preparations for season 2008.

"I'm going to make mistakes in my life and they were a couple I made last year and I've learnt from them and I'm confident in myself that they won't happen again," he said.

McLean has played 75 games since his 2004 debut and finished third in Melbourne's best-and-fairest award in 2006.